By 1967, East St. Louis, Illinois - once dubbed an "All American" city by the US Chamber of Commerce - had become St Louis, Missouri's evil twin. Unemployment, drug addiction and vicious gang activity put a dark and heavy lid on a bi-state area that once cooked-up world-changing talent - we're talking Chuck Berry, Josephine Baker, Miles Davis. But both cities kept spawning heroes, Allen Merry among them.

Already a living legend for his early work with Ray Charles and Ike Turner, Merry channeled his talent into teaching, forming the Young Disciples through the South End Community Center, aiming to keep the kids off the streets, out of gangs, and instead inside the studio, from which young men and women spiraling downward could ride the spiral groove upward on Merry's YoDi, Gateway and Merry labels. Every sweat-drenched recording included here emerged from Merry's grass-roots organization that changed, if not saved, lives.

Former East St Louis Mayor Carl Officer had a slogan he liked to pitch: "There's A City Under Here." Eccentric Soul: The Young Disciples unearths those very streets and safe havens.

1. Lavel Moore - The World Is Changing
2. Young Disciples Co - Crumbs From The Table
3. Third Flight - Third Flight
4. Debonettes - Tears
5. Ames Harris Desert Water Bag Company - Checking Myself
6. Sharon Clark & The Product Of Time - I'm Not Afraid Of Love
7. DeDe Turner Happining - Anyone Or Anything
8. Young Disciples Co - Girls Girls Girls
9. Dauphine Williams - I Love You
10. Georgettes - Hard Hard
11. Bobby McNutt - Country Loving Country Style
12. Sharon Clark & The Product Of Time - It's Not Your Business
13. Ames Harris Desert Water Bag Company - People
14. Georgettes - Would You Rather
15. Third Flight - Love Love Love
16. Debonettes - Choose Me
17. DeDe Turner Happining - Outside Of Memphis
18. Sharon Clark & The Product Of Time - That's A Good Reason
19. Dauphine Williams - I'm Your Man
20. The Young Disciples & Co - Bang Bang Bang
21. Eddie Fisher & Allan "Dealth" Merry - Homeboy